Railway tie plate



JuneZ, 1936. R. HILL RAILWAY. TIE PLATE Filed Dec. 26, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 luvnvron. Boater HILL.

' /lrr'y.

June 2, 1936. R HM 2,042,464

RAILWAY T IE PLATE Filed Dec. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 2, 1936 RAILWAY TIE PLATE Robert Hill, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, assignor of one-half to W Quebec, Canada illiamA.

Dull, Montreal,

Application December 26, 1934, Serial-No. 759,147

12 Claims. (Cl. 238-355) The invention relates to railway tie-plates generally, along the lines of my previously issued United States Patents Nos. 1,962,507 and 1,979,158 and nrv pending United States Patent applications Nos. 555,774 and 621,933 and more particularly to resilient means for yieldingly retaining rails upon tie-plates in which the base of the rail is adapted to rest -or be retained thereon.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a tie-plate and rail-retaining device which, when used in combination will yieldingly hold the rail against vertical or wave motion under load or traffic pressure.

Another object is to provide a device of this character for resiliently connecting the rail to the tie-plate by the use of which noise or rattle in operation is eliminated and wave motion of the rail may take place without disturbing the connection between the plate and tie and without lifting them from the ballast.

A further object is to provide a simple and durable rail-retaining device in two parts, co-operative with the tie-plate that will more efiiciently and at less cost perform the functions required,

5 and which can be quickly and readily assembled to enable rails to be more expeditiously and satisfactorily laid or removed.

In the present invention the parts are rolled and the plate may be secured to the tie with cut 30 spikes, screw spikes, bolts and the like.

The device as a whole may be embodied in various forms of combinations, the objects and advantages of which will be hereinafter more fully referred to.

35 The invention comprises a railway tie plate provided at each side of its railbearing surface with a transversely extending shoulder or wall, and a hole in the tie plate co-operative with each of the shoulders, a rail-retaining device adapted 40 to fit snugly in the tie-plate holes and including a key-engaging rail-keeper and a keeper-engaging key formed to interlock with the keeper and yieldingly retain the keeper to resiliently hold the rail against wave motion thereof under trafiic stress.

45 The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustrations of specific embodiments thereof, while the scope of the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings and the examples of the invention therein disclosed for illustrative purposes only and in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

55 Fig. l is an end view partly in section showing 'width of the rail flange l2.

. openings I5 in the plate.

a tie-plate embodying one form of my invention and a section of rail in position on the plate.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tie-plate shown in Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the rail retain- 5 ing member or keeper.

Figs. 4 and 4a are similar views of the key for the keeper.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the invention. 10

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of the modified form of the keeper.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the modified form of the key for the keeper.

Fig. 8 is a view of an alternative to broaching 15 the opening in the tie-plate.

Referring more particularly to the drawings a conventional rail is shown in the various figures in which its tread is indicated at l0,,web at Ii,

and based flanges at I2. 20

In the embodiment of theinvention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive the tie-plate I3 is provided on its rail bearing surface with a. pair of transversely extending upwardly directed shoulders or walls Hi, spaced apart a distance equal to the The plate I3 is also provided with openings 15 extending rearwardly from the shoulders and of suitable form to receive the keeper or rail-retaining member ll therein- This keeper member is adapted to extend across the shoulders l4 and to overlap the base flanges l2, of the rail, and is here shown as comprising a head IS, with a, protruding portion or lip I8, a substantially vertical portion or body l9 with a wedge-shaped base as at 20 conforming to the contour of the slanted end wall of the The back of end 20 of the keeper member I! is ofiset as at 2| while adjacent the top a recess 22 is provided.

It will be noted that the keeper I1 occupies a 40 portion only of the plate openings l5, leaving a. space for another and essential feature of the invention in the form of the looking or keeperretaining key 23. This member, similar to the keeper, is preferably of rolled resilient steel and consists of a straight piece with a bead 24 to engage with the recess 22 in the back of the keeper I1, and which will when driven into place also engage with the dip or offset 2| in the keeper, thus securely and resiliently locking this member to yieldingly hold the same in resiliently paced relation to the base flanges l2, of the rail A. It will also be seen that as the driven key 23, locks with the keeper, the wedge-shaped base of the latter will co-operate with the slanted wall of the openings IS in the tie-plate, so that the railretaining device as a. whole will yieldingly retain the rail without disturbing the connection between it and the rail and between the tie-plate and the tie.

In operation,-the tie-plate i 3 having been secured in well known manner to the tie and the rail section placed thereon between the shoulders I4, the keeper I1 is then placed in each of the openings l5- in the plate and the key 23, driven into these openings behind the keeper, locking the same in yieldingly spaced relation to the base flanges I2, of the rail, to permit wave motion of the rail under traffic pressure. The simplicity and durability of my three part rail-retaining tieplate will be apparent from the foregoing while the fact that it can be manufactured and marketed at'lesser cost than devices of this character, heretofore and at present in use, will be readily understood.

In the modifications about to be described parts similar to those designated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, have been indicated by the same designations.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 7 inclusive: The tie-plate l3is provided with the transversely-extending upwardly directed shoulders M, at each side of its rail-bearing surface.

While the rail-retaining means associated and co-operative therewith comprise a holding and seating member 30, adapted to flt into the openings I5 in the tie-plate and formed with a seating a the base flanges l2, of the rail. The keeper l1 preferably consists of a rolled steel plate bent upon itself at one end as at 32, and provided with a transversely extending taper 33 to engage with the broached inner wall of the opening l5. This member drivable, from the side, into the holding member 30, progressively locks therewith until it is correctly positioned therein, with the bent curved end resting upon the seating portion 3|, of the member 30, and the extremity of said end contacting with the shoulder M. In this manner the keeper I 1, is resiliently adapted to retain the rail so as to permit wave motion thereof under traflic pressure. Furthermore by slightly bending the free end (not shown) of the keeper II, it will clamp on the base flanges of the rail and thus, co-operating with the railabutting shoulders l5, effectively act as an anticreeper for the rail.

, Referring again to the embodiment in the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive it should be mentioned that to remove the locking key 23 when required, it is only necessary to use any well known toolsuch as a claw-barto grip the bead 24 on the key, then pull backwardly and upwardly.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the objects of my invention may be readily accomplished by producing a tie-plate with transversely and suitably spaced shoulders, a rail keeper member, formed with key-engaging means, associated with each of the shoulders and arranged to extend into the plate and a key member, formed with a keeper-engaging means, drivable to simultaneously lock with the keeper in the tie-plate.

M to engage with the wedge-shaped projection 9 on the front of the keeper. In other words instead of the wedge-shaped keeper and the corresponding plate opening, I substitute a straight opening and a wedge-shaped projection 9 on the keeper to engage with the outwardly bent shoulders I4.

It should also be noted in the example of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive that while the rail may be held against lateral movement between the shoulders l4 and is yieldingly secured on the tie-plate by the keeper and the locking key forming the rail retaining device this can be readily adapted to perform with the shoulders the functions of an anti-creeper by 'simply keying the keeper against the rail instead of in spaced relation thereto.

As various forms of the device may suggest the shoulder against relative vertical movement,

a keeper-engaging key drivable in the tie plate to progressively lock with the keeper to yieldingly retain the keeper in resiliently spaced relation to the rail on the tie-plate.

2. A railway tie-plate provided with a transversely extending keeper engaging shoulder at each side of its rail bearing surface, a key engaging keeper member arranged to extend into the plate and adapted to interlock with the shoulder against relative vertical movement, a keeper-engaging key drivable in the tie plate to progressively lock with the keeper to retain the keeper in clamping relation to the rail on the tie-plate.

3. A railway tie plate having a shoulder at each side of its rail bearing surface and an opening in the plate associated with each shoulder, a key-engaging keeper interlockingly co-operative with each shoulder and arranged to extend into and partially flll the tie-plate opening and a keeper-engaging key adapted to interlock with the keeper to completely fill the plate openings in resiliently operative relation to the rail.

4. In a railway tie-plate of the character described, and in combination, a shoulder and an opening in the plate at a side of its rail bearing surface, an interlocking rail keeper and key device arranged toiextend into and completelyflll the tie-plate opening and interlock with the shoulder while overhanging the rail in resiliently operative relation to the rail.

'5. A railway tie-plate having a transversely extending shoulder, and an opening in the tie plate, at each side of its rail bearing surface, a shoulder-and-key-interlocking keeper detachable in each of the tie plate openings, a keeper-engaging key drivable in the tie plate to interlock with each keeper and yieldingly retain the keeper relative to the rail.

6. A railway tie-plate having a shoulder, and a keeper engaging opening at each side of its rail bearing surface, a rail retaining keeper member, provided with key interlocking means, adapted to simultaneously engage with each plate opening and interlock with the shoulder, a key, provided with keeper interlocking means, adapted to lock 76 with the keeper, in the plate and yieldingly retain the keeper relative to the rail.

7. In a railway tie plate of the character described and in combination, a shoulder, and an opening in the tie plate adjacent each side of its rail bearing surface, an interlocking keeper and key device interlockingly co-operative with each shoulder and conforming to the contour of the tie plate openings to resiliently hold the keeper in spaced relation to the rail.

8. A railway tie plate provided with a transversely extending keeper-interlocking shoulder and a keeper-interlocking hole at each side of its rail bearing surface, a key engaging keeper conforming to the contour of the shoulder .and adapted to fit the hole in the tie plate, and a key with keeper-engaging means adapted to interlock with the keeper in the plate to resiliently retain the keeper in spaced relation to the rail.

9. A railway tie plate havingva substantially rectangular shoulder, and a suitably formed opening in the tie plate, at each side of its rail bearing surface, a keeper, adapted on one side to interlock with the shoulder and on another side to engage with a key, said key being formed with keeper engaging means and drivable in the tie plate openings to progressively lock with the keeper and resiliently retain the latter relative to the rail. I

10. A railway tie plate having a transversely extending shoulder and an upwardly'tapered punched hole at each side of its rail bearing surface, a key engaging keeper adapted to embrace and protrude over the shoulder while conformably engaging with the hole in the tie plate, and a key formed with keeper engaging means adapted to interlock with the keeper in continuous contact therewith in the plate, and completely fill said hole, to resiliently retain the keeper relative to the rail.

11. In a railway tie plate the combination of a shoulder, and an opening in the tie plate at each side of the rail bearing surface, with a rail retaining device resiliently engaging with the tie plate opening and in interlocking contact with the side and top of the shoulder, comprising a keeper formed externally with key engaging means and a wedging-key formed with keeper engaging means adapted to interlock with the keeper in the plate in continuous contact therewith to yieldingly retain the rail.

12. A railway tie-plate having a transversely extending shoulder at an edge of the rail bearing surface and having an opening outside and adjacent the shoulder to receive a key, a keeper and said key adapted to interlock and to substantially fill said opening and interlock with the shoulder when in operative position, said tieplate being adapted to cause the shoulder to interlock with the interlocked key and keeper, the keeper overlying the rail bearing surface and yieldably restraining upward motion of an underlying rail flange.

ROBERT HILL. 

